American Scenes, and Christian Slavery | Page 4

from the sea, at all times contains a depth of
water varying from thirty to fifty feet, and is so protected on all sides
that vessels may ride with the greatest safety in the worst weather.
From this harbour to Bayou on the mainland the distance is only twelve
miles, and from Bayou to New Orleans forty-six miles,--making
altogether only fifty-eight miles from Cat Island Harbour to New
Orleans; whereas, by the difficult and dangerous route of the
Mississippi, the distance is 110 miles. The importance and value of
such a harbour it is difficult to over-estimate. Its beneficial effect on the
future destiny of the great valley will be prodigious.
I have said the "great valley," and well it deserves the appellation. It
contains as many square miles, with more tillable ground than the
whole continent of Europe. It measures about 1,341,649 square miles,
and is therefore six times larger than France. And this valley is as rich
as it is extensive. It is the "fat" valley. Never did human eye behold a
finer soil, or more luxuriant productions. The treasures beneath the
surface are as precious as those above. The lead and copper mines are
among the best in the world. Iron and coal also abound. Building
materials, of beauty and strength, adapted to form cottages for the poor
or palaces for the rich, are not wanting. Nature has here furnished in
lavish profusion everything necessary for converting the wilderness
into smiling fields, studded with populous cities.

But we are not yet within the great valley. We are only at its entrance,
sailing up the "father of waters," against the stream, at the rate of four
or five miles an hour. It is usual for sailing-vessels to be towed by
steam-tugs to their destination; but, having a fair breeze, and no tug at
hand, we were indebted to our sails alone. The motion was exceedingly
pleasant, after the tossings we had had in the Gulf of Mexico. The
vessel glided smoothly along, and new objects presented themselves
continually on either hand.
My enjoyment of the scenery, however, was soon marred by an attack
of fever and ague, which sent me below. While I was down, several
steam-tugs towing vessels down the river met us. Their unearthly
groans filled me with terror. Their noise was not that of puff--puff
--puff--puff, like all the other steamers that I had ever heard, but
something composed of a groan, a grunt, and a growl--deep-drawn, as
from the very caverns of Vulcan, and that at awfully-solemn
intervals,--grunt--grunt--grunt--grunt! This peculiarity, I was told, arose
from their "high-pressure" engines. The sound, thus explained, brought
to my recollection all the dreadful stories of boiler explosions with
which the very name of the Mississippi had become associated in my
mind. But (thought I) they have surely learned wisdom from experience,
and are become more skilful or more cautious than they used to be!
While I was engaged with these reflections, our captain came down,
and handed me a couple of New Orleans papers, which he had just
received from the pilot. Here was a treat; and, feeling a little better, I
began with eagerness to open one of them out. It was the New Orleans
Bee of January 23; and, horresco referens, the first thing that caught
my eye was the following paragraph:--
"STEAM-BOAT EXPLOSION.--LOSS OF LIFE.--Captain Haviland,
of the steam-ship 'Galveston,' from Galveston, reports that the tow-boat
'Phoenix,' Captain Crowell, burst her boilers when near the head of the
South-west Pass [which we had but just passed], killing and wounding
about twenty-five in number, seven of whom belonged to the boat, the
balance to a barque she had alongside; carrying away the foremast of
the barque close to her deck, and her mainmast above her cross-trees,
together with all her fore-rigging, bulwarks, and injuring her hull
considerably. The ship 'Manchester,' which she had also alongside, was
seriously injured, having her bulwarks carried away, her longboat

destroyed," &c.
Such was the paragraph, with not a syllable of note or comment on
cause or consequences. It was evidently an every-day occurrence. What
recklessness was here indicated! and how comforting to a sick and
nervous man, now near the very spot of the occurrence, and in a vessel
about to be placed in the same pleasant relation to one of those grunting
monsters as the unfortunate "barque" had but three days before
occupied, with the trifling "balance" of eighteen of her crew "killed and
wounded!"
The fever having left me, I ventured on deck. At this moment one of
these infernal machines came in sight, towing down three large ships.
Instead of having them behind, as on the Thames and Mersey, she (like
the "Phoenix") had one on either side, closely lashed to herself, and the
other only behind. This terrific